Robert (“Bob”) Pritzker died on Thursday, October 27, 2011 at the age of 85. He was the father of Colonel (IL) J.N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), founder of the Pritzker Military Library. Mr. Pritzker was born and raised in Chicago, and his dedication and commitment throughout the years to the city of Chicago was reflected in the many charities, facilities, and academic programs that he and his family supported. Mr. Pritzker had an extraordinary relationship with the Illinois Institute of Technology (“IIT”) since his graduation in 1946 with a degree in industrial engineering. As Chairman of the IIT Board of Trustees for many years, he presided over the reinvigoration of the University, lending his personal leadership, management advice, and generous philanthropic support. Among his service to many civic and cultural Boards, he was a life Trustee of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Rush University Medical Center, an honorary Director of the Lincoln Park Zoological Society, and past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Field Museum of Natural History.

The Pritzker Military Library has been proud to count Mr. Pritzker among its most committed supporters, presenting him with the Founder’s Award at the 2005 Liberty Gala. Colonel Pritzker noted that the Library’s collection would not have been possible without his parents, who instilled in him the importance of reading, preserving books, and carrying forward the commitment to service – the true legacy and inheritance of the Pritzker Family.